1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a connector having at least one contact-pin inserting port for a conduction contact pin of a connector conduction-test tool.
The present application is based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2000-071251, which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
In FIG. 6, a connector 1 includes a plurality of (only one is shown, hereinafter the same) terminals 2 formed of an electrically conductive metal plate and a connector housing 3 formed of a synthetic resin. The terminal 2 in FIG. 6 is a female terminal and is provided with a box-shaped electrical contact portion 5 having a resilient contact 4 and a wire connecting portion 6 continuing to the electrical contact portion 5. An engaging hole 7 for retaining a terminal is formed in the electrical contact portion 5.
A plurality of terminal receiving chambers 8 for accommodating the terminals 2 are formed in the connector housing 3. In addition, connection ports 9 communicating with the respective terminal receiving chambers 8 and detection-pin inserting ports 10 are formed in the connector housing 3.
A lance 11 for retaining the accommodated terminal 2 is formed in the terminal receiving chamber 8. Further, a deflection space 12 for the lance 11 is also formed therein. The lance 11 is formed in such a manner as to be deflectable in the deflection space 12. A pawl-like retaining portion 13 is formed on the distal end side of the lance 11. The retaining portion 13 is adapted to be engaged with the engaging hole 7 for the terminal 2.
A male terminal (not shown), which is a mating member to be connected, is adapted to be inserted in the connection port 9. Further, a lance-displacement detecting pin 15 of a connector conduction-test tool 14 of a known construction is adapted to be inserted in the detection-pin inserting port 10.
When the connector 1 is assembled with the plurality of terminals 2 accommodated in the connector housing 3, the connector 1 is set in the connector conduction-test tool 14, a conductivity test with respect to the terminals 2 in the connector 1 and the detection of incomplete insertion are performed simultaneously.
If the terminals 2 are accommodated positively, the lance-displacement detecting pin 15 is inserted up to the innermost portion of the deflection space 12. At this time, conduction contact pins 16 of the connector conduction-test tool 14 are inserted through the connection ports 9, and are brought into contact with the resilient contacts 4 of the terminals 2. When the conduction contact pins 16 are brought into contact with the resilient contacts 4, the presence or absence of conductivity can be confirmed.
At the time of the above-described conductivity test, since the conduction contact pins 16 of the connector conduction-test tool 14 are inserted through the connection ports 9 and are brought into contact with the resilient contacts 4 of the terminals 2, there is a possibility of the resilient contacts 4 of the terminals 2 becoming deformed and damaged due to the action involved in their contact.
Since the deformation and damage of the resilient contacts 4 affect the connection with the mating male terminals (not shown), there has been a need for improvement. Further, improvement has been required for performing the conductivity test reliably.
The present invention has been devised in view of the above-described circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a connector which makes it possible to prevent the deformation of and damage to the resilient contacts of the terminals and perform the conductivity test reliably.
To achieve the above object, according to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a connector which comprises a connector housing including at least one terminal receiving chamber into which a terminal is insertable, at least one connection port, which communicates with the at least one terminal receiving chamber, and through which a mating terminal is insertable, and at least one detection-pin inserting port, which communicates with the at least one terminal receiving chamber, and through which a lance-displacement detecting pin of a connector conduction-test tool is insertable, wherein the at least one detection-pin inserting port is formed to continue from an edge portion of the at least one connection port; and at least one contact-pin inserting port, through which a conduction contact pin of the connector conduction-test tool is insertable, formed in such a manner as to cut out an opposing edge portion of the at least one connection port which is opposed to the edge portion of the at least one connection port.
In accordance with the first aspect of the present invention, at the time of a conductivity test using a connector conduction-test tool, the conduction contact pin is inserted through not a connection port of the connector but the contact-pin inserting port. Therefore, the position of contact of the conduction contact pin with the terminal is offset from a portion involved in the contact with a mating terminal.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the connector further comprises a tapering surface, for guiding the conduction contact pin into the terminal receiving chamber, formed on the at least one contact-pin inserting port.
In accordance with the second aspect of the present invention, since the tapering surface is formed on the contact-pin inserting port, the conduction contact pin is smoothly guided into the terminal receiving chamber at the time of the conductivity test using the connector conduction-test tool.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that the connector further comprises an inclined surface, for guiding the mating terminal into the terminal receiving chamber, formed at least on the opposing edge portion.
In accordance with the third aspect of the present invention, since the inclined surface is formed at least on an edge portion of the connection port on the side where the contact-pin inserting port is disposed, the mating terminal is smoothly guided into the terminal receiving chamber even if the contact-pin inserting port is provided.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, it is preferable that depth of the at least one contact-pin inserting port with respect to the opposing edge portion of the at least one connection port is formed to be deeper than a thickness of the conduction contact pin.
In accordance with the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the depth of the contact-pin inserting port is formed to be deeper than the thickness of the conduction contact pin, the position of contact of the conduction contact pin with the terminal is further offset from the portion involved in the contact with the mating terminal.